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Sunday, December 6, 2015

07 Surreal Album Covers from Coldplay

Top British rock band Coldplay was formed in 1996 with it's lead vocalist Chris Martin and guitarist Jonny Buckland. Through the University years, both of them been busy organizing the band. Name of the band changed twice. At the very beginning the band's name was Pectoralz. Later it became Starfish and finally named as Coldplay.

Coldplay is a commercially and critically successful band. They have topped charts from their launching album. The band achieved many music awards including Brit Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. They are also engaged in many social organizations like Oxfam and Amnesty.

1. Parachutes (2000)

Copyright- Parlophone

This commercially successful debut album by Coldplay had a photograph of globe as cover. Globe that was bought from retailer shop WHSmith. The picture was taken on a disposable Kodak camera. With a dark background this lighting globe looks weirdly beautiful.TPW Rating- 4/5

2. A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)

Copyright- Parlophone

If you haven't seen it before you should know that this cover art got a cult fame. The whole idea was arranged by Sølve Sundsbø, a Norwegian photographer. Vocal Chris Martin saw a photograph by Sundsbø on a music based magazine named Dazed & Confused at first. Then Martin wanted the permission of Sundsbø to use the photograph for using it as cover of this album. Sundsbø gave the permission and had a rework with the cover as all band members' head were scanned. The cover was chosen by Royal Mail for postage stamp, for set of the 'Classic Album Cover'.

TPW Rating- 5/5

3. X&Y (2005)

Copyright- Capitol, Parlophone

Mark Tappin and Simon Gofton, the celebrated graphic designers done the artwork for X&Y. The image we see as cover of the album is nothing but a graphical interpretation of Baudot Code, which is a form of telegraphic communication using 1 and 0. Cool colors were used on fonts and image.

TPW Rating- 4/5

4. Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008)

Copyright- Capitol, Parlophone

Again a surprising artwork by Coldplay. This piece of cover was designed by one of the ex-collaborators, Tappin Gofton and Coldplay. It took a long time to finish the cover as it was developed from different sketches and paintings. The title itself looks like part of the painting and really creates a rebellious scenario.

TPW Rating- 4.5/5

5. Mylo Xyloto (2011)

Copyright- Capitol, Parlophone

Another exotic design from Coldplay! The cover was highly inspired by graffiti works. The bad had an extensive research and homework on graffiti design, and they even were in search for a graffiti teacher who could teach them about this specific art medium. There is a sharp contrast in color between this cover and the previous one of Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. This cover uses more of a raw and exciting colors. Fonts are great too!

TPW Rating- 4.5/5

6. Ghost Stories (2014)

Copyright- Atlantic, Parlophone

This cover by Coldplay is bit simplistic than the previous ones. Subject of the cover is extraordinary! A pair of wings (of angel's most probably) were used in front of the widespread sea and sky full of stars. Artwork was well executed by Czeck artist Mila Furstova. This album is full of arts and sketches by this great artist.

TPW Rating- 5/5

7. A Head Full of Dreams (2015)

Copyright- Atlantic, Parlophone

The marketing for this album was really creative as the central geometric pattern of the cover (named as Flower of life) was all where on the London Underground. It had a tiny note- December 4. You get it right. It's the release date of the album. Cover has a surreal feel and used rich colors.